“Some, including those in this hall, constantly look for
Moscow's hand in the events in the southeast , persistently
without wishing to see the true reasons of the events in Ukraine.
Quit doing it,” Churkin told the meeting.

“Quit spreading tales that we built up military armadas on
the border with this country, ready at any moment, within a few
hours to reach almost as far as La Manche, that we sent hordes of
agents to coordinate actions of the protesting people of
Ukraine.”

Monstrous russophobia bordering on hatred became the norm in the
Verhovna Rada, Churkin reminded. “These beings deserve only
one thing – death,” Churkin quoted a recent female Svoboda
party MP’s statement about protesters in the East. And such views
are widely shared among her “brutal co-party members,”
he added.

The people's outcry in the East was indeed answered by Ukraine
Parliament – with “draconian laws” threatening them long
term imprisonment for “separatism” and
“terrorism,” Churkin said.

US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power used a chance to accuse
Russia of directly intervening and orchestrating the protests in
Ukraine.

“You heard that there are no Russian troops in eastern
Ukraine but the fact is that many of the armed units that we have
seen were outfitted in bullet proof vests, camouflage uniforms
with insignia removed,” Power said.

“We know who is behind this. Indeed the only entity in the
area capable of coordinating these professional military actions
is Russia,” Power claimed.

In his turn, Ukraine's Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev said that
“Russia has not only constantly been increasing its troops
alongside the Ukrainian border but also sending subversive groups
into Ukrainian regions in order to destabilize the
situation,” accusing Russia of orchestrating a full-scale
“terrorist operation” in the East.

Taking the floor for the second time, Churkin warned that the
deadline was looming, and that prospects of holding negotiations
next week would be undermined if Kiev uses force against its
people in the East, Churkin said in his rebuttal to the
accusations by other members of the UNSC.

“Let’s move aside from speculations, accusations, from
searching for Russian phantoms flying all over different corners
of Ukraine, but let’s concentrate attention on what we can do –
in this case I'm directing my eyesight at my Western colleagues –
in order to prevent the Kiev authorities’ reckless actions, which
at this moment are embodied in the criminal order of Mr.
Turchinov, and to prevent the realization of this order, which
will have the most severe implications primarily for the people
of Ukraine.”

In response to his Ukrainian colleague’s accusations that Russia
is engaged in supporting terrorism in Ukraine, Churkin responded:
“Why did you not accuse of terrorism those who were
terrorizing your government for a span of several months?”

“Those who actually terrorized the security forces, who
actually set on fire the policemen, shot at them, just like they
did at those who were protesting against the authorities and
seemingly acted on their side. Those people, for some reason, you
did not call terrorists, and even relieved them from any
liability for their criminal actions that were conducted over
several months.”

Churkin called accusations against Russia “ridiculous”
pointing out that Russia's calls to start negotiations at the
beginning of the crisis were ignored. “Why did you encourage
this crisis?” Churkin asked.

“Russia, throughout the stretch of the Ukrainian crisis spoke
out not for aggravation of the crisis, not to destabilize the
country,” but to “keep the situation stable” in the
neighboring country, Churkin told the UNSC, adding, “it is
not our fault what we are witnessing there.”

He also questioned the role the US plays in the EU decision
making process, citing the fact that Washington was quick to
answer President's Putin letter addressed to EU nations, on gas
transit to Europe. “We will have to wait and see if there is
any sovereignty left in the EU. Can it independently make
decisions that could lead the situation out of crisis?”

Churkin also stressed that Russia repeatedly stated that
constitutional reform mentioned in February 21 agreement has to
be implemented to avoid the escalation of tensions. He also
stressed that FM Sergey Lavrov in his conversations with his
counterpart John Kerry, always tries to explain to him the
position of pro-federalization activists, so the US can get a
full picture of the tension in Ukraine.

And while Russia and the US continue their talks, Churkin says,
some politicians in the US already state that these conversations
“will not lead to anything” and are just being conducted by the
US to “occupy time.”

“Occupy time? So, does that means that someone in Washington
actually has something like Turchinov’s armed scenario in their
heads? If so, let’s not accuse Russia of seeking to destabilize
the situation.”

Churkin also accused the West of double standards, pointing out
the fact that the West encouraged actions to overthrow the
government in Kiev in February, while at the same time condemning
the events in the East of the country, where people reject the
new rule forcefully imposed on them.

Russia's UN envoy also said that there seems to be a total
disconnect in Kiev's approach to the crisis, as the acting prime
minister Yatsenyuk is talking of the possibility of referendum
while Turchinov at the same time is giving crackdown orders.
“It seems they prefer to use force,” Churkin said.

When Samantha Power took the floor for the second time she
stressed the US consistently “called for de-escalation and
urged restraint” when dealing with the Ukrainian crisis,
saying “there has been no shortage of evidence in
diplomacy.”

She once again blamed Russia for fuelling Ukrainian crisis.

“It is not the United States that escalated the situation. It
is the Russian Federation,” Power said, stating that it is
hard to “reconcile the behavior of the Russian Federation,
the propaganda of the Russian Federation, the military actions of
the Russian Federation which range from the massing of 40,000
troops at the border to the subversive activities inside
Ukraine” with “this appeal for diplomacy and
de-escalation, and an appeal we wish was in fact sincere.”

Power said that Russia's point of view is “rooted in the idea
that the internet does not exist” where people can see all
the "evidence." She claimed that pro-federalization
rallies are not protests, but instead are a series of military
operations by “professional forces, carrying weapons, Russian
made weapons as it happens, carrying out sophisticated,
complicated military operations across a substantial number of
eastern Ukrainian cities.”

Finally, Powers said that the “credibility of the Russian
Federation has been greatly undermined.”

In his final address to the council, Churkin expressed hope that
his calls will eventually find some response, and the bloodshed
in Ukraine will be prevented while there is still time.

“Maybe, he Vice President Biden will pick up the phone and
call Mr. Turchinov, as he numerously called Mr. Yanukovich before
Feb 21?” Churkin asked. “Just call to tell Mr. Turchinov the same
thing he told Mr. Yanukovich. He told him, as press service of
vice president reported: 'For god's sake don’t use force, get rid
of your security forces from central Kiev.”

“And now what, the US will endorse the realization of this
criminal order to use armed forces?” Churkin said, urging
Samantha Power to tell Biden to "immediately" call Kiev
instead of waiting for a planned visit, as "in a couple of
hours the situation can take an irreversible turn."

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting requested by
Russia to discuss the Kiev’s decision to use military forces to
crush protests in Eastern Ukraine.

The United Nations Security Council emergency session was
requested by Russia to discuss Ukraine’s declaration of a
so-called “anti-terrorist operation” against
pro-federation protesters in Eastern Ukraine.

The session was initially planned to be closed, but several
Security Council members were pushing for an open format.

The urgent meeting comes after the coup-imposed Kiev government
authorized the use of the military in Ukraine’s south-eastern
regions to supress the popular uprising.

Events on the ground have taken a very dangerous turn, the
Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday, slamming
the order of a full-scale military operation as
“criminal.”

“The Kiev authorities, who self-proclaimed themselves as a
result of a coup, have embarked on the violent military
suppression of the protests,” the ministry said adding that
the rallies, which have gripped the Donbas region were prompted
by Kiev’s disregard of the legitimate interests the people.